Penile erection is a complicated physiological process that involves not only the blood vessel system, but also the endocrine and nervous systems. Patients suffering from erectile dysfunction (“ED”) are definitely on the increase by the reasons of the expanded life span, the increase of adult diseases, change of diet, and the increase of industrial and traffic accidents. In addition, the increase of mental stress and physical fatigue resulting from complicated modern life could contribute to aggravate this manifestation.
The methods for the treatment of ED are diversified, ranging from medicinal treatment including male hormones, and injection of vasodilators in the corpus cavernous smooth muscle, to surgical treatments, including vascular surgery, and surgical implantation of a penile prosthesis. Medicinal treatments, such as male hormones, yohimbine, apomorphine, and traszodone, are not suitable for the treatment of a severe form of ED. Such medicines have side effects, and even their effects on treating such manifestation are in doubt. Diversified agents able to relax the corpus cavernous smooth muscle have also been used. Such medication includes adrenergic alpha-receptor blockades, cholines, NO (nitric oxide), peptides, prostaglandin, histamines, calcium channel inhibitors, calcium channel openers, nonspecific vasodilators, and more. Although sildenafil has been introduced as a primary treatment for ED, innovation of a specific medicine that can have a reliable reproducibility has not been reported yet.
Orchis anatolica Boiss, also known as Anatolian Orchid, belongs to the Orchidaceae family. The Orchis anatolica plant occurs in various parts of the eastern Mediterranean region, including mainland Greece, and an area extending from the southern Aegean islands of Turkey to Iran. This plant is found also in diversified and specific locations within the pine forest regions in northern Jordan. Out of this family of plants, several species are considered important and popular for their effect in treating many diseases. In the literature, a study indicated that there is an effect of Orchis anatolica root ingestion on the sexual motivation and performance of male rats; however, no tests were carried on the effect of Orchis anatolica root bulb alcoholic extract on the treatment of erectile dysfunction in male mammals (see, Allouh et al., “Orchis anatolica Root Ingestion Improves Sexual Motivation and Performance in Male Rats,” Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Vol. 7, Iss. 1, Article 39, 2010). Thus, there are no previous reports in the literature emphasizing the effect of Orchis anatolica on ED.